Coach's Corner: Some books to read, some that should be written - plus a few 'nopes'

Finally: The school year has settled, the pandemic has eased and the weather has warmed. Now we can melt into the deliciousness of the lazy, hazy days of summer. So nice! Even my typing for this column mellows during the summer, as I hit the keys using my time-tested, two-fingered hunt-and-peck approach, at a much more relaxed and leisurely pace.

Of course, there are many great things our communities offer during the summer months. There's no lack of activities to get involved in, including camps, sports, recreation leagues, and other leisure time pursuits. They are all there for the taking and usually free or at an extremely reasonable price.

But when you're not out-and-about and getting your daily dose of doctor-recommended exercise, surely one of the great pleasures of the slower pace of summer is finally having the time to really get into a good book. The kind that just envelops you. Where you can't wait for that part of the day when you can go off all by your lonesome, and you and the hardcover become one, with you entrenched in the world between those written pages.

Such quiet, subtle joy.

As a service to one and all, your friendly Coach's Corner column is going to give you some summer reading recommendations. We present to you four books to definitely read, four books I would love to see written about our towns, and maybe even more importantly four books to stay away from if they are ever written.

Seeing as my column is firmly implanted here in the sports and recreation section, I will try and stay in the listed genre.

First, four books with a guaranteed coach four-star recommendation:

"Boys In The Boat": Who would have ever thought a story about the sport of rowing could be so amazing? But it is. I had to be convinced to start this book, but once I did I was attached to it like a belt to a buckle. Couldn't put it down. Not only a great insight into this unique sport, but also an incredible human interest story on the life of the main character Joe Randa.

"The Redshirt": A story written by ex-Duke football player Corey Sobol, who was gay and navigating his way around the world of college football. Although a fictional telling, the book clearly hinges on his many experiences both on the field and off. Written in an entertaining style, but with great insights into football and the tricky balance of a gay player entrenched in the sport.

"Born To Run": Nope, not about Bruce Springsteen. This book is an absolutely phenomenal true story of a secret tribe of barefoot runners, their incredible race and the unreal human story of physical endurance and accomplishment. Even the non-runner will love it.

"Unbroken": The true story of Louie Zamperini, an Olympic runner during World War II. His story of rising athletic fame, survival on a boat after his plane gets shot down, his time in a Japanese prison camp, and his battle to return to "normal" after getting released from internment are all equal parts mesmerizing, horrifying and inspirational. It's really four great stories tied together in one sensational tale.

Next, here are four books I would love to see written, all connected to Northbrook and Glenview:

"Oh, If These Walls Could Talk": This book would be about the old Glenview House in the lovable dive-bar days of the '70s, '80s and '90s when it was a summer hangout for numerous softball teams. Packed crowds on humid, sticky nights, drinking beer and watching the trains pass by were a virtual summer tradition for many. Plenty of material here for a good read, but we might need to keep this one out of the younger public school libraries.

"The Great Hardcourt Coaches Of Spartania": Fancy name for a simple concept. This book would delve into the great tradition of Glenbrook North Basketball coaches. Brian James (went on to the NBA from GBN), just-retired Dave Weber, and former stars-turned-D-1 coaches Billy Donlan, Chris Collins and Jon Scheyer. Their heartbreaks, their thrills, their stories behind the scenes.

"Northbrook Days, Northbrook Nights": Could be an interesting historical tale of the beginnings of Northbrook's famous "Northbrook Days" celebration and how it has prospered and grown over the years. My observations? Other communities might have better carnival rides or maybe better food or maybe better music, but none - and I have been to a lot of them - combines all three with such quality as Northbrook's very own 4-day celebration. The evening concerts would make for good material, and behind the scenes at the outdoor beer garden might make for a few interesting chapters.

"Big Win For The COWS!": Oh the drama! This book would remember back to the historic battle to save our beloved Wagner Farm. This riveting true tale takes place beginning when Rose Wagner passed away in 1997, opening the floodgates for dispute over the prime property at Lake and Wagner roads. Everybody wanted a piece of it and developers were frothing at the mouth, but thanks to the hard and spirited work of a group called C.O.W.S. (Citizens Organized For Wagner) they staved off the competition and (spoiler alert: happy ending!) the farm was saved.

Finally, four books you definitely do NOT want to read if they are ever written:

"How To Locate A Walgreens in Northbrook or Glenview": This book would fail miserably mainly because there already is a Walgreens about every two blocks. Why even write this? However, there is a special bonus: Limited copies would be available at select CVS pharmacies.

"Finding Affordable Housing In Northbrook": Might be one of the shortest books ever written. The author reportedly passed away in a literary sense due to lack of material. The highlight of this novel? A forward by yours truly titled, "C'mon, folks, we can do better."

"The Pandemic School Year - How We Survived and Thrived": Good idea, but we're just not ready to read about it yet. Maybe a few years down the road, but it's too soon right now to recap all the heroic exploits from kids, teachers, parents and administrators. Put it on your must-read list for 2025-ish maybe.

"How To Revive Downtown Glenview": It would be subtitled "No More Consultants!" This non-page turner would be part tragedy, part comedy. If you like sad endings, though, this book could be for you. It should painfully detail all the money and time spent over the many years from "expert consultants" on how to make Glenview's downtown more aesthetic. Nothing really worked, and due to busy Waukegan Road and having Glenview Road as an east/west thruway, the bottom line is ... it is what it is. No more consultants, and, on second thought, please don't anyone think of writing this book!

• Jon Cohn of Glenview is a coach, retired PE teacher, sports official and prep sports fan. To contact him with comments or story ideas, email jcsportsandtees@aol.com.